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Ebola appears to dissipate in Nigeria and Senegal

The Ebola virus seems to be dissipating in Nigeria and Senegal following a rapid response operation, according to a report released by the Center for Disease and Control on Tuesday.

With no reported cases appearing after Aug.31, the last patients will be exiting treatment after their 21-day follow-up on Oct. 2. This indicates that the Ebola outbreak has been contained.

"Although Nigeria isn’t completely out of the woods, their extensive response to a single case of Ebola shows that control is possible with rapid, focused interventions,” CDC Director Tom Frieden said. “Countries throughout the region as well as Nigeria need to take rapid steps to prepare for possible cases of Ebola in order to prevent outbreaks in their country.”

The Nigerian Ebola outbreak was traced to one traveler from Liberia who exposed a combined 72 people on an aircraft, in the airport and at a hospital to possible infection. After the Ebola infection was detected, officials took quick action by tracing points of contact.

An outbreak was avoided in Senegal with prompt cross-boarder communication after one reported case on Aug. 29. After determining 67 people who could have been infected, all of them made it through the 21-day monitoring period with no sign of infection.